"It's a Fun Game and a Nice Pack-in for the e-Reader"

The Donkey Kong series has always been a big one with Nintendo. From his early arcade days to his latest outings, he has always been a big, bad gorilla. Named Donkey.

Donkey Kong Jr. for the e-Reader was released as a pack in for the system, and what a great game for it to be packed in with. This incarnation of the Donkey Kong series is about Donkey Kong’s son, the title character, Donkey Kong Jr. He is after Mario, the hero of the original game, because Mario has captured his father.

And the Hilarity Ensues…

Now the game graphically, isn’t great for a modern console, but not bad for a cheap e-Reader game. Donkey Kong Jr. is a nicely animated NES sprite and the enemies aren’t bad either. Overall though, graphics are not a problem for this e-Reader game.

For the sound though, it’s not too much. The enemies make strange repeating squawking noises and there’s not much music. But who cares? It’s the e-Reader…

Gameplay-wise, it controls like a charm. DK Jr. jumps and climbs up ropes with ease. The premise is similar to the original Donkey Kong, in that you try to get up to the top by any means necessary, but it has been upgraded with other variables on your way, such as branches, vines and ropes. If your character falls down a small distance, perhaps past his body height, he dies. I like that factor because it adds challenge. I mentioned before how he can climb vines. Climbing up one van at a time is slow, but it allows you to not get killed by an animal coming down the vine. Climbing up two vines gets you faster, but you’re susceptible to any enemy on either vine you are coming up. The strategy is flipped when sliding down a vine. So it’s not much at all by today’s standards, but considering this is an e-Reader game based on an early NES title I think it passes.

Replay Factor? It’s an e-Reader game! You’ll want to play it a few times, but after awhile it will get old. There are four levels, so it’s not too long. However considering how cheap e-Reader cards are, you get what you pay for.

Overall, Donkey Kong Jr. is a fun game and e-Reader card. If you didn’t get this as a pack-in title, then I suggest that you do. Oh, and on a side note, this is the game where many of the Donkey Kong Country enemies got their start in.